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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Are you ready for the country?

After a two hour drive from Hanoi you will arrive at Giang Mo village in Cao Phong district of Hoa Binh province, where Muong people live in a wonderfully idyllic setting.
It remains relatively tourist free to promote itself as a ‘tourism village.’ The village is populated by Muong people, the third largest ethnic group in Vietnam with an estimated population of 1.2 million, the bulk of which dwell in the mountainous regions of Hoa Binh or Thanh Hoa provinces.
A hundred stilt-houses built on the mountain slope look down onto the terraced fields of the villagers. Outside each house, there is a small shrine dedicated to the Muong people’s gods and ancestors. The bucolic landscape is inspiring. The autumnal air is fresh and fragrant. You can smell young sticky-rice and wild flowers in the air.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Vietnam expects to welcome more British tourists - Vietnam Travel News


Hanoi Daily ToursVietnam is forecast to grow in popularity as a destination for British tourists this year, according to the Holiday Money Report 2011, recently issued by the Post Office, the UK's largest foreign currency provider.



"Movie stars and backpackers have long since discovered its beaches but 2011 was the year when Vietnam finally seems to have made it onto the world stage," states the report. The document reviews UK travel trends from previous years and identifies holiday hotspots for 2012 based on exchange rates, trends and resort costs.

After a yearly 106 percent growth in sales of the dong between August-November of 2011, Vietnam, together with Argentina, is tied for the top position on the Post Office's first list of emerging holiday destinations.

With the December launch of the first non-stop service from London to Hanoi and HCM City, the floodgates are "likely to open as a crop of new beach hotels compete head to head with Thailand on price", according to the report.

"Vietnam could finally prove to be the next big thing in long haul tourism," the Post Office forecasts.

The Post Office's worldwide holiday cost barometer, which compares costs for holiday travel packages, puts Vietnam as the 10th cheapest of the 40 destinations surveyed.

Thailand is still the cheapest South East Asian country surveyed, but Vietnam has emerged as a good value with just 50.71 GBP (US$80) for eight tourist items, including dinner for two with wine, in resort areas. (Sri Lanka was the cheapest place and Australia the most expensive of all for British travellers.)

Vietnam is a little more expensive, 9 percent more than Thailand, but still it's a better place than other regional countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Some British tourists said Vietnam is even cheaper in reality, with a bottle of local beer sold at about VND10,000 ($0.47), instead of $2.76 as reported by the barometer.

Vietnam received more than 156,000 UK visitors in 2011, up by almost 90 percent compared to 2005, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Although the UK is not in Vietnam's top 10 tourism markets of 2011, which is headed by China, it has been one of major European markets.

"Everyone is going to Vietnam," said Anne Smith, a retired Briton who has planned for a trip to Vietnam herself this summer.

VNAT's Travel Department director Nguyen Quy Phuong said the country will focus on promotions in the UK, given that the direct flights and the Post Office's ratings were opportunities for a tourism boom after economic downturns.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

West Lake electric car service launched

The TLC West Lake Joint Stock Company has officially opened the Ho Tay (West Lake) electric car tourism route for visitors to discover the history, culture and beauty of the 18-km long lake.Electric car tours in West lake Hanoi City Tours hanoi one day tours Go asia Travel

Five tourism packages will be offered to visit famous sites, discover and enjoy the beauty of the lake, transport passengers, and other services as requested.

Tourists will have the opportunity to visit famous sites along the route including Vong Thi, Tao Sach, and Tran Quoc pagodas, Quan Thanh temple and 20 other relics, and enjoy the special food around West Lake including noodles, snails, and crispy shrimp pancakes.

Each tour lasts from one to two hours. There are a total of 30 cars, each one covering 0.6-1km. The electric cars star from the West Lake Water Park, over 20 famous travel sites and stop at Union Hotel Hanoi. The cars serve from 8 am to 6 pm (in winter) and 9 pm (in summer).
Visitors can buy tickets at the West Lake Water Park (614 Lac long Quan), Lac long Quan Flower Garden, Ly Tu Trong Flower Garden (Thanh Nien Road) Tran Quoc Pagoda, Tay Ho Temple or ticket service of Go Asia Travel.

On the same day, a pair of ceramic dragons, the largest of their kind in Vietnam, were inaugurated in the West Lake area.The two ceramic dragons, which are made after the dragon style of the Ly dynasty, are 7.5 meters tall each. Their bodies are decorated by ceramic plates.

The work was made by artisans from Bat Trang pottery craft village in Hanoi at a total cost of nearly VND2.6 billion. Earlier, the pair set the Vietnam Guinness record as the largest ceramic dragons and they were on display on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi in 2010 before being moved to the new site.

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Hanoians open up their homes for tourists to get a feel for family

Canadians Andrew and Marith Kull had intended to find a good restaurant for their final evening in Ha Noi, but they changed their plans after hearing about a tour to a local house, which they described as "the perfect end to our trip".

The couple and their children were among the first tourists to go on the Ha Noi Home Visit Tour, a project initiated by non-profit organisation Students in Free Enterprise (SiFE) from Ha Noi University. The project provides foreign tourists with a chance to visit ordinary families to see how they live and their traditional features and customs, with the aim of developing and expanding Vietnamese culture. Leader Mai Quang Huy, a junior at the university's Faculty of Business Administration, said: "While travel agencies offer tours to historical and cultural destinations, we want to help foreigners experience a family dinner in Viet Nam."

Hoan Kiem Lake - The heart of Hanoi Capital

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake, also called Lake of the Restored Sword, is located in the center of Hanoi. The name Lake of the Restored Sword is derived from a legend. After ten years of hard fighting (1407-1417), the Lam Son insurrectionists led by Le Loi swept the foreign invaders out of the country of Dai Viet (Great Viet), ending the Ming's 20-year domination over the Viet people. Le Loi became a national hero, proclaiming himself kings, called Le Thai To, and establishing his capital in Thang Long. On a beautiful afternoon, the King and his entourage took a dragon-shaped boat for sight-seeing on Luc Thuy (Green Water) Lake, which was located in the centre of Thang Long capital (present-day Hanoi). As the boat was gliding on the lake, suddenly there was a great wave and on top of the wave, the Golden Tortoise Genie appeared, telling the King:
- Your Majesty, the great work is completed. Would you please return the sacred sword to the King of the Sea?

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Alova Halong Cruise 2 days 1 night

Discover the mysterious Halong Bay on Alova Gold Cruise – a Vessel consists of 9 deluxe cabins decorated in classic Asian style. This journey will take you into the legendary world with various activities that will truly provide an unforgettable impression.
Day 1: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Alova Gold Cruise
ALova Gold Cruise Rooms7h45 – 8h15: Alova Gold Cruise’s bus and guide will pick you up at your hotel & start the 3 hour and a half drive to Halong Bay.
12h00 – 12h30: Board Alova Gold Cruise at the Bai Chay port, enjoy welcome drink, crew briefing before checking in cabin. Start cruising and enjoy a Special lunch with Vietnamese Traditional Dishes while the boat slowly slides on romantic waves of the sea to the legendary fishing village
14h00: Spend one hour Kayaking on emerald water of the world heritage.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Hanoi City Private One Day Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi City Tour by Go Asia travel:

8h00 am our bus and guide picks you up to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and Ho Chi Minh Museum.
A short drive to The Temple of Literature - The first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th century to admire the beautiful construction and learn about Royal court and Vietnamese talents.

Cuc Phuong National Park Biking Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Ninh Binh and Cuc Phuong National Park Biking Tour

You are looking a tour escaping from busy Hanoi, riding a bike around the countryside and discover nature. This option is the best one for you. Great destination will be Ninh Binh Province. It has evolved into a major travel center in recent years. Ninh Binh has been favored by nature, as the Day River, the Van Sang River, the Non Nuoc and Canh Dieu Mountain. This city is famous for: Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Cuc Phuong National park. The main discovering place in this tour is Cuc Phuong Nationnal Park which is home to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. A number of species in the park are listed on Vietnam Red Book of endangered species.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Hanoi Overview - Tourist information about Hanoi

Overview of Hanoi Capital - Tourist information about Hanoi

Cleaving the yellow walls of a centuries-old Chinese temple, an old gnarled banyan tree is adorned with flowers and offerings of rice wine and incense. Adjacent to the tree is a designer boutique and gallery, farther on is an Internet cafe, and, out front, an endless stream of honking motorbikes whiz by, rustling the tree's leaves.
If the 200-year-old banyan could speak, it might tell stories of the 19th-century tradesmen who worked on the avenue out front, the arrival of the French, or the introduction of the automobile. It could speak of the years when revolutionary murmurs became skirmishes and barricades lined the streets of the Old Quarter, or of a time -- years later -- when a full-scale war, with an enemy that attacked from the skies, almost completely evacuated the city. It might talk about the quiet years after peace in 1975, years of austerity. And then it might tell of one-time enemies returning as investors, bringing recent years of capitalistic excess.

Trang An - Bai Dinh Pagoda Private Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi Tours - Private tour to Trang An - Bai Dinh Pagoda.

8:20: GAT's tour guide and car pick up at your address to depart for Ninh Binh province (120 Kms).Start tour Trang An - Bai Dinh Pagoda.

10:20: Arrive in Buddha Prayer place in Bai Dinh Pagoda, the biggest pagoda in Vietnam with 500 La Han statues, biggest bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam with 10 meters in height, 100 tons in weight. Have lunch in local restaurant with some local special dishes such as Goat meat with elderberry, pork storage vessel

Hanoi culture tours biking and homestay - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi culture tours biking and homestay: Duong lam village and Tay Phuong Pagoda

duong lam hanoi biking toursAround countryside of Hanoi have many places which are symbol for Vietnamese culture. This tour is a good chance for you to rich to the real life of Vietnamese people. Enjoin the biking day in peaceful time around some villages: Dong Truc, Duong Lam villages, Tay Phuong pagoda. Take 25km for biking adventurous about the daily life of Vietnamese.

Duong Lam is an ancient village of Viet people. In there the local people stilt keep their houses in ancient shapes which were built by red ceramics and tile pills. Let’s come and see it.

Bat Trang Dong ky Chi Lang Nam bird Village Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Bat Trang -Dong ky - Chi Lang Nam bird Village Tour with Go Asia Travel

8h30: Drive to Bat Trang ceramics village, the famous village is situated approx 15 Kms outside Hanoi. We leave Hanoi to Bat Trang where we can see firsthand the ancient art of ceramic making at a workshop. Many of the families producing these fine works of art have been doing so for at least 400 year.

Continue to Dong Ky, the carpenter village. Originally, carpentry was a side hobby for inhabitants of Dong Ky, however poverty forced the villagers concentrate their skills on this occupation. The wood carving here is also famous for its meticulously inlaid mother of pearl.

Hanoi biking tour around the West Lake - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi biking tour in half day highlight

West Lake in Hanoi is often described as the most romantic place resplendent in its beauty and vastness. Its beauty has been immortalized in the works of several poets, writers and artists. Often been described as a mirror of Hanoi, this lake is also considered as the 'lung of the city'. Its vast blue water and the violet and red blossoms create an indescribable beauty.
Around West Lake have many temples and pagodas which are recording for the history of the city such as: Tran Quoc pagoda, Kim Lien pagoda, Yen Phu temple, Tay Ho palace… GOASIA TRAVEL suggests for you to leave the noise of the city behind and join in a peaceful biking day around West Lake.
this option is the best for business or team building group to relax.

Phu Lang Pottery Village Tour Hanoi Daily Tours

Phu Lang Village and But Thap Pagoda Introduction

Phu Lang Pottery Village is located in Phu Lang Commune, Que Vo District, Bac Ninh Province and about 60km from northeast of Hanoi. Phu Lang craft village is situated at the poetic Cau River. It impresses tourists with its simplicity. Among dozens of craft villages in the Cau River area, the cradle of the Red River civilization, Phu Lang is well known with many ceramic artisans. For years, the village seemed unchanged. However, since the Saint Patron of ceramics making, Luu Phong Tu brought the craft from China to Phu Lang and taught his children and co-villagers to make ceramic articles, dozens of generations of craftsmen have settled in Phu Lang and earned their living by practicing this occupation.

Duong Lam Ancient Village One Day Private Tour

Hanoi Tours - Duong Lam Ancient Village Tour

8h30 am, Go Asia Travel's guide and bus pick you up and start the trip to the west of Hanoi to visit Duong Lam village, a purely agricultural village of the Northern Red River delta where still preserve many hundred-year-old houses. It will be your unique experience as you walk along tiny ancient alleys; visit Mong Phu temple in Mong Phu hamlet - the only hamlet whose original village entrance gate remains intact, dedicated to national heroes. Have some talks with the locals in their ancient houses by visiting the ancient houses. Enjoy your lunch with Vietnamese food at local restaurant.

Mai Chau Valley One Day Private Tour From Hanoi Hanoi Daily Tours

Mai Chau Valley Tour - Hanoi Tours

8h30: Our car and tour guide pick up at your hotel, then take a 2.5 hour drive to Mai Chau valley, stop at a White Thai family, start walking into Pom coong and Lac village to understand about the local daily life, the way they make silk from the traditional weaving looms.

12h00: Have lunch, then our hosts will give you an art showing: dancing, singing, music, drinking Can wine in the White Thai's typically traditional lifestyles. You'll feel local people's hospitality, you'll find out a little more of their lives with cultural exchange.

Perfume Pagoda One Day Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi Tours - Perfume Pagoda Day Tour


Private tour only
7:50-8:40: Our modern car and tour guide pick up at your address and then depart for Perfume Pagoda.
10:00: Arrive at Duc wharf, walk to Yen wharf to get on local boat and enjoy beautiful landscapes with streams and rice fields. Short hiking-up to the main cave on the summit (2.5km) to cast your view over the magnificent mountainous beauty or take cable car one way or round trip (Optional). Return to Thien Tru Yard for lunch in the local restaurant. You will enjoy all local Vietnamese foods.

After lunch time, visit Thien Tru pagoda to know the featured religious architecture of Vietnam. Our tour guide will tell you everything about Buddhism in Vietnam.

Hoa Lu Tam Coc One Day Tour - Hanoi Daily Tours

Hanoi Tours - Hoa Lu Tam Coc Day Tour

7:50 - 8:40: Our modern bus and guide pick up at your address then depart for Ninh Binh province.

10:00: Arrive at Hoa Lu, the ancient citadel of Viet Nam in the 10th century, visit temples of two dynasties Dinh and Le, our tour guide will tell you the stories of 2 kings and Queen Duong Van Nga, the tragedy in royal family, after that visit the excavation area beside the Le Dai Hanh temple.

Beach gems tucked away in Lan Ha Bay - Halong Bay Tours

Lan Ha Bay is part of the Halong Bay community but unlike its more famous neighbor it boasts some amazing sandy beaches. 

Located east of Cat Ba Island, a World Natural Heritage site which is famous for its dreamlike and fresh beauty, tourists cannot ignore a pit-stop here when visiting Haiphong Province.

Lan Ha has an astonishing 139 sandy beaches. Some of them are tucked between giant rock mounts and thus are more quiet spots without big, crashing waves and are ideal places for a quiet swim.

The bay is over 7,000 hectares wide, of which 5,400 hectares is managed by Cat Ba National Park. This is a peaceful bay with 400 islands and islets of varied sizes.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Alova Cruise Halong Bay One Day Tour - Hanoi Daily Departure Tours

Tour Itinerary

7:50 - 8:40: Our modern bus and tour guide pick up at your address, start an interesting trip to Halong Bay, on the way, passing Bac Ninh province where Folk Songs the traditional singing are very famous. You can take photos of the green rice fields in the countryside. Stop for a rest at the local shop where some disabled children are working to make the lovely hand made products.